String actuated combination action



p 1966 P. A. KLANN 3,270,609

STRING ACTUATED COMBINATION ACTION Filed Nov. 24, 1965 g INVENTOR 60 PAUL A. KLANN m BY 1 4 flaw M, fi 1 r- ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,270,60 STRING ACTUATED COMBINATION ACTION Paul A. Klann, P.O. Box 2398, Waynesboro, Va. Filed Nov. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 509,516 4 Claims. (Cl. 84370) This invention relates to improvements in stop tablets and combination actions of the type used in organs, and particularly to a combination action, including a number of such tablets operated in predetermined combinations by strings.

In both pipe organs and electronic organs, stop tablets, usually positioned adjacent the keyboard, are used by an organist to change or vary the response of the organ from the playing of the keys. Commonly, a plurality of stop tablets are positioned side by side allowing an organist to select any number or combination of these tablets to produce a wide variety of sound responses from the organ. The stop tablets may be manually operated and selected by an organist or any preselection of stop tablets may be operated automatically, either by a setter board or combination action. This invention provides for preselected operation of any combination of stop tablets by merely pulling on a string selectively threaded through guide means on the stop tablets and adjacent supports. With this invention an extremely inexpensive as well as reliable combination action is obtained.

Further advantages and objects of this invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which disclose by way of examples, the principle of this invention and the best mode which has been contemplated of applying this principle.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of an organ having a plurality of adjacent stop tablets;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the stop tablets and stop board of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial rear elevation view similar to a portion of FIG. 2 showing a modification constituting another embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 5 is a view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4.

Referring to the drawing, a stop board of an organ .or the like includes a plurality of adjacent stop tablets 12 extending through an opening 16 in wall '14, as is common in the art. The opening includes felt pads 18 and 20 as shown in FIG. 3.

On the back side of wall 14 a support member 22 for each stop tablet is secured in an upright position by suitable screws 24. Since each stop tablet and corresponding assembly is identical, only one will be described in detail.

The support member 22 includes a lower ledge 26, and a pair of spaced lugs 28 and 30 for supporting a pivot pin 32.

Each stop tablet includes an outwardly extending tablet portion 34 and an integral actuation lever portion 36. The lever portion includes spaced arms 38 and 40 which extend outside the lugs 28 and 30 and form the pivotal support of each stop tablet 12.

A toggle spring 42 is positioned between ledge 26 at one end of the lever 36 as shown in FIG. 3 in order to bias the stop tablet toward either one of two extreme posi tions which it can assume by pivoting about pivot pin 32.

The lever 36 controls the actuation of suitable means such as known in the art, for example conductors 44 carried by conductor holder 46 for changing the response of the instrument in accordance with the actuation of the stop tablet accomplished by the tablet assuming one or the other of its two positions.

For selectively actuating or operating any of the stop tablets 12, this invention encompasses providing tablet extensions 48 and 50 extending outwardly from the lever 36 and each of these extensions includes a guide eye 52 and 54. In addition, lug 30 has an extension 56 also having a guide eye 58.

A plurality of strings such as strings 60 and 61 illustrated are threaded through the guides in a selective manner. One end of each string is secured to a string end holder 62, and each string is then threaded through a stationary guide eye 58 and one of the two tablet supported guide eyes 52 or 54 if it is desired for that string to operate that tablet. The strings are then guided by string guides 63 and connected to string pulling means such as solenoids 64, 66 and 68. Each solenoid will pull a particular string in order to switch the top tablet from one of its positions to the other and then will relax the string so that the stop tablet may be moved to the other position, should another string be actuated.

It is believed that the operation of the device will be apparent from the foregoing, but a brief summary will now be given. Different color strings, one for each of the solenoids, are tied or otherwise fastened to a stationary support such as the string holder 62. Then each string is positioned through the stationary guide eye 58 for each stop tablet and, if it is desired for the string to actuate any particular stop tablet in either one of its two positions, it is threaded through that guide eye of that tab. For example, string 61 might be attached at one end to solenoid 66 and threaded through guide eye 54 of the first, third and fifth stop tablets. Then by pulling on the end of the string by solenoid 66, these stop tablets are moved to the position shown in FIGURE 3 by string 61 being taut causing an upward force on guide eye 54 and by toggle 42 biasing the tab to the extreme position. After it assumes the position, the pulling solenoid 66 can be released allowing slack in the string 61. Assuming now, string 60 is tied at one end to string holder 62 and threaded through the supports 58 for each stop tablet and then through guide eyes 52 for the second and fourth stop tablets, and secured to pulling solenoid 64. Then energizing solenoid 64 to make string 60 taut causes the second and fourth stop tablets to assume a position opposite from that shown in FIG. 3 and to hold that position under the influence of toggle spring 42.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show another embodiment of the guide means for the strings. In this modification, a rod 70 extends from the end of the tablet and carries a pulley 72. A pair of guide rollers 74 and 76 position string 80 so that when taut it will be in a position intermediate of the two extreme positions assumed by the pulley 72 as shown in FIG. 5. With one end of the string 80 secured and the string threaded over the top of pulley 72 as shown in FIG. 5, then pulling on the other end of the string will cause the lever 36 to assume position with the pulley 72 as shown in the phantom line position of FIG. 5. On the other hand, with string 80 threaded under pulley 72, the pulley could be moved from the phantom line position shown in FIG. 5 to the full line position.

A different colored string could be used for each piston and any suitable means could be used for pulling the strings taut. By relocating a string, any desired setting of a stop tablet may be accomplished. It is possible for one string to affect all stop tablets or only selected stop tablets. Many means for connecting the string to operate the tablets are possible in addition to the two embodiments shown.

Applicant has used the term string throughout the specification and in the following claims in a broadly generic sense to include any elongated flexible material and the term is not used in the limited sense .to. mean only common string, although common string is satisfactory, as are nyon filaments and other materials.

t While the invent-ion has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be. understoodby those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may.:be'made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

11 A string actuated"combination action foran organ comprising;r.' t ,g (a) fa pl-urality of stop tablets, each tablet being pivot- I ally mounted on a support means for movement from one position to another position, i i v t(b) string guide means onv each movable stop tablet and on the support-means adjacent the stop Ttablet, (c) a plurality vofstrings the stri'n'gsbeing secured at one of their ends to the support means and selective ly threaded in engagement with the string guide means for each stop, and (d) pulling meansrattached ,to the other end of each string to pull selected ones of the strings and thereby actuate selected-stops in accordance to the position of the tstringonthe guidemeans of the stop tablets. 2. A string actuated combination action as defined in claim 1 further comprising toggle spring means biasing each stop tablet intoo ne or, the other of the two positions. 3. A string actuated combination action as defined in claim 2 wherein the'guide meansincludes a guide eye-attached to each,stop tablet on opposite sides of the pivotal mount thereof, and a guide eyeexten'ding from the support means and-.positioned-betwee'n the stop-tablet carried guide eyes.

4. A string actuated combination action asde fin ed in i 7 claim 2 wherein the guide means includes a string guide pulley extending from the end of each pivotally mounted stop tablet, and a stringiguide carried by the support: meansadjacent the pulley and between the extreme posi-' tions assumed by the string guide carrie'd'by the pivotally mounted stop tablet'wh'en the. stop tablet is in one or the other of its two positions so thatwhen the string is pulled taut, pivotal movement of the stop tablet may be accomplished. I

v No references cited.

. RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner. 

1. A STRING ACTUATED COMBINATION ACTION FOR AN ORGAN COMPRISING; (A) A PLURALITY OF STOP TABLETS, EACH TABLET BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON A SUPPORT MEANS FOR MOVEMENT FROM ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER POSITION, (B) STRING GUIDE MEANS ON EACH MOVABLE STOP TABLET AND ON THE SUPPORT MEANS ADJACENT THE STOP TABLET, (C) A PLURALITY OF STRINGS, THE STRINGS BEING SECURED AT ONE OF THEIR ENDS TO THE SUPPORT MEANS AND SELECTIVELY THREADED IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STRING GUIDE MEANS FOR EACH STOP, AND (D) PULLING MEANS ATTACHED TO THE OTHER END OF EACH STRING TO PULL SELECTED ONES OF THE STRINGS AND THEREBY ACTUATE SELECTED STOPS IN ACCORDANCE TO THE POSITION OF THE STRING ON THE GUIDE MEANS OF THE STOP TABLETS. 